Method and System for Associating a Sticker and an Object in a Computer System

1. A method of associating a sticker and an object in a computer system, the object being stored in an object repository in the computer system and the object being of a type selected from a range of object types, the sticker having coded data indicative of a sticker identity and the object type, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sensing device for sensing the coded data when placed in an operative position relative to the sticker and generating indicating data that is indicative of the identity of the sticker and the object type; receiving the indicating data in the computer system from the sensing device; identifying the sticker, the object type and the object; generating an association between the sticker identity and the object; and, when the object repository is empty, generating an indication that the association cannot be generated; wherein during use, the computer system is configured to initiate an action regarding the object in response to the sensing device being placed in an operative position relative to the sticker.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method includes, in the computer system: receiving object data indicative of at least one received object; and, storing, using the received object data, the at least one received object in the object repository.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the method includes, in the computer system: selecting, using the object type, a stored object having the object type to be associated with the sticker identity.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method includes, in the computer system: receiving, from the sensing device, indicating data indicative of a value related to at least some of the coded data; and, determining, using the value, the object type for selecting an object to be associated with the sticker.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the object type includes at least one of: a video object; an image object; a audio object; a text object; a file object; and, a data object.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coded data is at least partially indicative of at least one interactive element, the at least one interactive element being related to at least one action, the method including, in the computer system: receiving, from the sensing device, indicating data at least partially indicative of the at least one action, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the at least one interactive element, being responsive to sense at least some of the coded data and generate the indicating data using the sensed coded data; identifying, using the indicating data, the at least one action; and, generating, using the at least one action, the association.

7. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the objects stored in the object repository are ordered according to when a received object was stored in the object repository, the method including, in the computer system: updating, using the received object data, the order of received objects in the object repository; determining, using the order indicated by the object repository, a stored object which has been most recently stored in the object repository; and, generating the association based at least partially on the most recently stored object.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method includes, in the computer system: recording the generated association in the computer system.

9. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the method includes, in the computer system: deleting, from the object repository, the stored object after generating the association.

10. The method according to claim 3 , wherein object repository is located on a server, the method including, in a computer system: storing, using the received object data, the received object in the object repository located on the server; retrieving, using the object repository located on the server, the stored object to be associated with the sticker identity; and, recording, in the server, the generated association.

11. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the method includes, in the computer system: receiving object data indicative of an object identity of the received object; storing the object identity in the object repository; and, generating the association based at least partially on the object identity.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the generated association is indicative of: the sticker identity; the object.

13. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the association is generated according to a user identity, wherein the method includes, in the computer system: storing, using the received object data, the received object associated with the user identity in the object repository.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method includes, in the computer system: determining, using the object repository and the user identity, a stored object to be associated with the sticker identity.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coded data is indicative of at least one location on the sticker, the method including, in the computer system: receiving the indicating data indicative of at least one position of the sensing device relative to the sticker, the sensing device being responsive to sensing at least some of the coded data to generate the indicating data; identifying, using the indicating data, the at least one position; and, generating the association based at least partially on the at least one position.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coded data is substantially invisible to an unaided human.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coded data is printed on the sticker using at least one of: an invisible ink; and, an infrared-absorptive ink.

18. A computer system configured to generate an association between a sticker and an object, the object being of a type selected from a range of object types and the object being stored in an object repository, the sticker having coded data indicative of a sticker identity and the object type, the coded data being readable by a sensing device to generate indicating data indicative of the identity of the sticker and the object type, the computer system comprising: means to receive indicating data from the sensing device; means to determine the identity of the sticker from the indicating data, the object type and the object; means to generate the association between the sticker identity and the object such that the computer system initiates an action in response to the association between the sticker and the object; and, means to generate an indication in the event the object repository is empty.